Should I take summer school at a community college or go to a summer intern?

Question

Here are the details: I want to go to UCLA, but my GPA is kind of low. I have two choices this summer: 1) take 2-3 classes at a community college to raise my GPA (currently a 3.4 weighted... but I'm 90% sure that it will be a 3.6 weighted at the end of this school year) or 2) do this summer program where I research about my ancestry along with 12 other students and in the summer we go to each other's villages in China. I think that the China intern program will work well in my personal statement because since I'm a 4th generation Chinese, I can talk about cultural gap and such. But I think GPA is more important because it's not that high. My SAT scores are decent... ~2000. And I'm taking 3 AP classes right now, and I might only take 2 of them. So with this information provided, what do you think I should do? Raise my GPA or take that summer intern program? Im a Junior in Highschool by the way. Please answer ASAP because I'll need to tell the summer intern program about my decision. Thx

Answer 1

GPA is important, but I think you'd get a lot more life experience and benefit out of the summer internship.

Summer classes are concentrated, so you are doing a lot of work in a short time, and some material is just not covered. That's a fact of summer school.

However, with the internship, you will be gaining a huge amount of life experience. Is it your first time to China? It's just a huge chance (my cousin is studying in China right now, and I think this is the time to go). You will probably be able to define your educational goals better after an experience like this.

The best thing to do is call UCLA and ask to talk to a counsellor or advisor. Ask them which is more important. After all, they are the ones letting you in.

Answer 2

GO BRUINS! (I'm a UCLA alum)

Anyhow, in the summer of my junior year in hs, I took a US history class at a JC bc i knew that it would satisfied a GE course at UCLA. I'm not sure you know this, but only the course transfers and not the grade. I got an A in that class, but it really didn't matter to UCLA.

I agree that the Summer Internship would help with your personal statement, plus at the very least, it would be a good experience for you which is invaluable. I actually think my personal statement was what got me into UCLA.

Definitely have to work at boosting your GPA. As you know, the 3.6 is a bit on the low side as you're competing against people with over 4.0 GPAs. SAT scores are also extremely important, and can help balance out your GPA. I'm not sure what a 2000 is...when i took the SATs, they were out of 1600!

Anyhow, good luck! UCLA's a great school. You'll not only have a great education, but more importantly, you'll have the best time of your life!!

Answer 3

Go to China.

That is a life-enriching experience that will expose you to new ideas, other life choices, new people and places, and who knows what else? It is a unique opportunity that isn't available for everyone. By researching your unknown past, you may find new answers for your future.

Spend the remainder of this school year raising your gpa and then go for the new experience. The difference between a couple tenths of a point on gpa and being able to say you've travelled and done research in another country? No question what I'd be more interested in if you were applying in my program. I'd be making my packing list right now.